BERLIN.- The Kunstgewerbemuseum – Staatliche Museen zu Berlin has opened "Symbiotic Wood," a new special exhibition that invites visitors to rethink their understanding of wood, particularly timber affected by beetle infestations and climate change. Inaugurated on Friday, June 27, the exhibition runs until September 21, 2025.

"Symbiotic Wood" positions wood as a "more-than-human" material, emphasizing its role in intricate ecosystems beyond solely human utility. The exhibition explores how environmental shifts and monoculture forestry have heightened forests' vulnerability to insects and fungi. Conventionally, beetle-infested wood is considered low-value, but this presentation aims to demonstrate how such "damaged" material can inspire novel design solutions.

From Scientific Insight to Cultural Redefinition

The interdisciplinary exhibition begins by delving into the scientific aspects of beetle and fungal infestations in spruce forests, examining both local and global impacts. It highlights how these phenomena are intensified by climate change and monoculture practices, illustrating the complex interactions between climate, forestry, and forest health.

Moving into a cultural discourse, the exhibition then focuses on how beetles, fungi, and environmental factors like drought can be viewed as co-creators of the material. This section features design objects, artworks, and historical accounts exploring the cultural history and theory surrounding beetle-affected wood. Ceramic casts of trees from Berlin's surroundings directly connect the exhibition's themes to the city's urban environment, prompting reflection on understanding local trees as part of this broader symbiosis.

An Immersive Experience

The journey concludes in the Kunstgewerbemuseum's large inner courtyard, where a walk-through open-air installation reimagines the harvesting, storage, and re-evaluation of beetle-infested timber. This structure demonstrates how material typically rejected by industrial standards can be re-purposed. The installation's design mimics crate-storage techniques, facilitating further drying and future use of the wood after the exhibition concludes. Visitors can move through the architectural space, observing and touching the varying textures of wood, from lightly to heavily infested.

The exhibition is curated by Karola Dierichs, with curatorial assistance from Jessica Farmer and co-curation by Achim Stiegel and Claudia Banz. "Symbiotic Wood" is part of the Kunstgewerbemuseum's "More than Human" exhibition series and was developed in collaboration with the Cluster of Excellence "Matters of Activity" at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin for the matter Festival 2025.

Participating artists include Pelin Asa, Judith Dobler, Tarik Goetzke, Başak Günak, Florent Jouy, Nuri Kang, Rahel Kesselring, Karin Krauthausen, Anna Kubelík, Julia Rhein, Siegfried Saerberg, and Robert Stock.